Plow.



U. H. MELVIN.

PLOW. APPLICATION FILED JULY 9,1909.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

m mwaw m m w H N VHM f m6 m .Q/ 0 O @V vtnwoc )5].

0. H. MELVIN.

vPLowV APPLICATION IfLBD JULY1909;

, 1, 1 1 2,1 50, I Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

I (IV 3 @Ah two was G 'H. MELVIN.

PLOW.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 9. 1909. 1 1 12 1 50. Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

5SHEETS-SHEET 3,

q Vi M4 macs O. H. MELVIN.

PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED ULY 9, 1909.

1,112,150, Patented ,Sept.29, 1914.

5 SHEBTSSHEET 4..

Quorum 4 4% v j JYJFFMW G. H. MELVIN.

' mow. APPLICATION FILED JULY 9,1909.

1,1 1 2, 1 50, Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

5 SEEBTS-SHEBT '5.

awn mm fez .3 HH. 6. 034, Ml... I '(ltfozmcg lVi-tmoaoca UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. MELVIN, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T'O DEERE & COMPANY, A

' CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PLOW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 9, I909.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914. Serial No. 508,916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Ci-mnnns H. Mnnvm, citizen of the United States, residing at Mo line, in the county of'Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plows, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to riding plows, and more especially to riding plows of the three wheeled type, that is a plow having two furrow wheels and one land wheel. In my earlier application, filed July 2-9, 1908, Ser. No. 445,978, I have shown a plow of the type referred to, which is so constructed that the plows can be raised by the drat'tof the team. at the will of the operator. This earlier plow is also provided with means for automatically locking the plows in their lifted inoperative position, and is provided with vmeans for adjusting the plows to work at various depths.

Theobjectof the present invention is to provide a construction simpler and less err-- pensive than that shown in my earlier application, which shall not only be capable of performing all of the operations of the earlier construction but shall in addition comprise means for automatically locking the fplows down at various depths.

A further object of the presentinvention 'is to provide an automatically controlled poweractuated lifting mechanism which is adapted to lift the plows to the same in operative position from any working depthat which they'may be adjusted.

The various improvements which I have effected will be clearly understood from the following description in connection withthe accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a'plen viewof-a plow embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a left side elevation of this plow. Fig. 3 is a right side elevation. Figs. 4 undo are left and right side elevations respectivelv of the plow-lifting mechanisni, showing the parts in the positions occupied when the plows are fully lowered.- Figs. 6 and 7 aresimilar views shown! the parts in the position they 0ccupy w en the plows are raised. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the plow lifting mech anism, showing the parts in the positions occupied when the. plows are raised and with the perbsadjusted 'f'or shallow plowing.

Fight) is a view similarto Fig. SWith-the parts adjusted for deep plowing. Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken on the line a: 3 in F ig. 1. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a part of'th'e mechanism for locking the plows down.

Referring now to the construction in detail, 1 is the main frame which is preferably formed of steel bar stock and is rectangular in general outline except for the inwardly curved part at 1". This frame is supported upon the furrow wheels 2 and 3 and a land wheel 4. The right forward corner of the frame 1 is providedwithv laterally extending bars 5 and 6 upon which is mounted a sleeved bracket 7 in which is rotatably mounted the upright spindle part of the axle .8 upon which the 'furrow wheel 2 is mount- 12 are provided for adjusting the frame up and down on the spindle 8, but these devices need not be described in detail as they do not in themselves constitute a part of'the invention covered in the present application. The rear furrow Wheel is mounted upon a spindie 13 which is suitably mounted in a bearing 14 carried bythe main frame. To the upper end of the spindle 8 is adjust-- ably secured a plate 19 and to this'plateis secured a steering tongue or pole l6 and also the end of a steering rod 22 which extends rearward and is connected to a crank arm 23 on the upper end of spindle 13. These steering connections, as to matters o'f-detail may be of any improved c'onstruction To provide a mounting for the land'wheel 4, a frame extension 28 is secured to the side of the main frame and a shaft 29 is rota-- I ing bracket 31 is made square in cross section, and to this squared part of the shaft is fitted a'sleeve 32. This sleeve carries at its inner end a radiallyextending arm 33 on which is slid-ably mounted a locking bolt 'which will later be'tle'scribed.

3'4 is a radius am having a web-like body with flanges at its inner and outer side, and a sleeve part-'34 which is rotatably mounted upon the Sleeve .32.

35 is a toothed segment rigidly mounted on the outer end of sleeve 3%, amtthe several p51 rts thus assembled, namely. the sleeve 32, radiusarm and segment 35 are retained in position on the outer end'ot'shaft 29 by nut 36. An axle 37 is mounted in the outer end of radius arm 34, andon this axle the land wheel 4 is mounted.

The radius arm 34, as stated above, is loosely sleeved on the sleeve 32, but it is adj ustabl y and yieldably held against turning upon said sleeve, the latter, as stated above, being fixed on shaft 29. The toothed segment 35 being rigidly secured to the 'sleeve 32, is also fixed to shaft 29.

38 is a hand lever pivotally mounted at 39 on the segment and said hand lever is provided with a thumb'latch device 40 which engages the teeth of the segment to hold the latter and the hand lever in any desired relation within the limits of the segment. The hand lever carries a crank arm 41, to the end of which is pivotally secured one end of a rod 42, the other end of said rod extending loosely through a hole in the outer end of radius arm 34. A nut 43 is mounted on the end of the rod 42 and serves to prevent the withdrawal of the rod from the aperture of the arm 34. A heavy coiled spring 44 is mounted on the rod 42 between the end of the lever arm l1 and the radius arm 34'.

The land wheel mounting, constructed as described, is such that the axle of the wheel may swing downward and backward, and I employ this movement for the twofold purpose of effecting the lifting of the plow and the leveling of the frame. It is clear that the radius arm 34 and with it the land wheel 4 may be swung downward and backward by simply throwing the hand' lever forward,

"but I prefer to effect this movement by means of the draft of the team.

The-plow bodies 45, of which two are shown in the construction illustrated, are

carried by the beams 46, 47, which vare rig idly secured together by cross bars 48 and 49, so as to form a-rigid frame by which the plow bodies are supported. To the front 'cross bar 49 draft devices 50 are attached. The plows are connected to thewheeled frame 1 ,by means of front and rear cranks or bails 51'.and 52.. The latter .is preferably longer than the former-so as to give'the rear ends of the plow beams a greaterrange of movement than their front ends when the plows are raised and lowered. The ends of the front bail 51 are pivotally mounted.

in' brackets 53 which depend from the main framel, and each of the plow beams carries an upstanding bracket 54 having a bearing box which embraces the transverse of the bail. The bail .52 has its ends s1mi larly mounted in bra'cketsfifi, which depend from the frame 1. and the two plow beams are provided with bearingv brackets 56, 67 which embrace the transverse part of the bail.

'straig t, whereas the front part is in the form of an arc of a circle described by a radius equal in length to the length of the crank 58. With such a connection between the shaft 29 and the plow beams, it is clear that when the radius arm 34 swings down- Ward and rearward, the plows will be lifted and when it swings forward and upward the plows will be lowered. To effect this move ment through the draft of the team the following construction is-provide'd: 60 is a ratchet Wheel, preferably formed integral with the hub of the land wheel 4. 61 is a pawl pivotally mounted. at 62 on the radius arm 34 and adapted to be swung into the path. of the teeth of ratchet wheel 60 so as to lock said wheel and with it the land wheel 4 against forward rotation relative to the radius arm. The pawl 61 is normally held out of engagement with ratchet wheel 60 by a spring 63 and is HL\1Ved. iIlt0 engagement with said wheel bymeans of a crank.

-' ed on the inner .end of the shaft 66, and said lever is provided with an extension 65% adapted when the radius arm swings liU'A'll' ward andrearwarcl to move into engage ment witha stop 69 which. is adjustably when the plows are loweredand the parts are in the positions shown in Figs. 4 and ii, the. foot-lever 68 is moved, forw ard, the effect is to throw the pawl '61 into' engagement with the ratchetwheel 60, thus lock ing the'land wheel to the radius arm so that both" are caused to swing backward and mounted on the frame extension 28.. If

downward relative to the wheel frame un-- der the: draft of the team. This backward swinging of the radius arm rocks the shaft 29 and causes-the crank 58 in connection.

with the slotted plate 59 tolift the-plhws from the ground. As the radius arm swings backward and approaches a vertical-posi-' tion, as shown in 1 igs.- 6 and 7 and also Figs. 8 and 9, the extension 68 of. the footlever comes into engagement with thestop 69 when-a slight continued movement of the radius arm causes the shaft 66 to be'rocked When the plows are elevated, it is I so as to withdraw the pawl 61 fretengageclear that their movement in relation to the i ment with the ratchet wheel 60. UNIS "freeing the land wheel again for rotation on its axis.

In order to retain the plows in elevated position when elevated inthe manner above described, I provide a toggle lever locking device, which comes into action automatically to lock the parts in the positions shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 and which may be released by a mere touch of theoperators foot. ,This toggle lever mechanism comprises a foot lever 70 which is pivotally mounted at 71 on the frame extension 28 and a link 72 which is connected at one end,

to an extension ofthe foot lever 70 by means of a pivot bolt 73 and at its other end is connected to a bracket 74, which is rigidly bolted to the inner side of the radius arm 34. A spring 75 carried by the bracket 70 has one end engaging the radius arm 34 and its other end arranged in position to engage the link 72 when the parts move to the positions taken when the plows are raised. The action of the spring 75 as thus mounted is to throw the joint formed by the pivot bolt 73 downward, such downward movement being arrested just after the bolt 73 asses the line of centers by means of a stop liig 70 carried by the footlever 70 in position to engage the upper edge of the frame extension 28, indicated in Fig. 7

With this construction it is clear that the weight of the plows acting through the I crank 58 and shaft 29, tends to swing the radius arm 34 forward, but this movement is prevented by the toggle mechanism, the toggle joint at 73 being held in its locking position just past the dead center by the spring 75 and by the weight of the plows. At the same time the operator can easily overcome the action of' the spring and weightby pressing the foot lever 70 forward, thus movin the toggle joint 73 upward past the line 0 centers, so as to start the lowering movement of the plows which is then continued automatically, the weight 'of the plows and connected parts being effective to carry the plows down into operative engagement with the ground.

. forward from the position shown in Fig. .2,

When the plows are lowered, the-depth to which they enter the ground is deter mined by the adjustment of the hand-lever 38. In Figs. 1 and 2, and also Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9, this leveris adjusted backward as 'faras possible in relation to the toothed segment 35,. If the hand lever were adjusted the radius arm 34, wo-nld','by reason of the increased tension of the spring 44, be caused to swing downward. During this movement theisha'ft 29 would not be moved and the plows therefore would not move in relation tothe mainframe 1. But since the frame 1 tw dswingmof the land wheel, the fplows lug 76 of the bolt.

4 mild itself-be bodily. lifted by the downfor more shallow plowin would be effected.

It will be understood t at the spring 44, while strong enough to effect the adjustment referred to, will permit the land wheel .means of the hand lever 38.

' I have previously referred to the radial arm 33, which .is carried by the sleeve 32, and which therefore turns with, the shaft '29.

76 is a bolt slidably mounted on the grooved outer face of the arm 33, the arm 33 being slotted to receive a lug 77 carried by the bolt 76 and limit the sliding movement of the latter in relation to the arm. The lug 77 is threaded to receive a nut which retains the bolt on the arm 33. The bolt is pressed outward by a coiled spring 78.which engages its inner end. On the inner end 9 of the. bolt 76 is formed an outward extending lug 76", which is designed to be engaged by the foot lever 68, as indicated in 4:, Band 9.

79 is a bracket mounted on the frame extension 28 in position to be-engaged by the bolt 76 when the radius arm swings forward with the lowering of theplows. The outer cnd of the bolt 76 is beveled at 76 sothat when it engages the bracket 79 it s forced inward against the tension of spring 78 and then springs outward into'locked engagement with said bracket 79. Vith the parts thus locked, it will be seen that the plows are prevented from rising from their operative positions. At the same time when it is desired to lift the plows, it is only necessary for the operator to press forward the foot lever 68, the movement of which serves not only to move the pawl 01 into engage ment with ratchet wheel but also forces the locking bolt 76 inward by reason of the engagement'of thefoot-lever (38 with the -Now, 'it is tobe observed that While the plows may be adjusted to different working depths by means of the hand lever 38, this adjustment is effected by swinging the radius arm 34 in relation to the shaft 29. In other words, when the plows are lowered, the shaft 29 always swings to the same point irrespective of the adjustment of the hand lever 38, Thereforein all depth adjustments, the locking bolt 76 moves to the same operative position .when the plows" are lowered, and thus the straight part of the slot 59.

, be. correspondingly great, n'a'm ely about as will be seenby a comparison with Fig. 4; o

' the increased'movement of the crank 58, as movement. in the case v will have agreater 'or illustrated by Fig. 8, elevation thanin' automatic 1 locking down of the plows is effected in all cases.

While the shaft 29, as stated, always moves to the same position when theplows are lowered, the extent of the movement of said shaft during the lifting of the plows will vary with the depthad uStment. This is due to the fact that in lifting the plows the radius arm always swings to asubstantially. vertical position before the extension 68 of thefoot lever engages the stop 69 to withdraw the pawl 61 from the ratchetwhee'L- And inasmuch as theradius. arm

mg to said vertical position, according as it is adjustedto its highest point, as shown in Fig}, to'give the plows the maximum depth of penetration, a less depth of naturally be to lift the plows to different inoperative positions; but, as, this is not desirable, I'h'avelnadethe plate 59 with the penetration by the bottoms. the radiusarm in lifting the ere plow-will and it will-be observed that the'erank 58 has moved forward throughout the length of the curved part of the. slot59. However,

compared withits does not'efl'ect a, greater said case because the curved part of the slot corresponds to a radius equalin length to the length'of'the crank 58. Therefore, the plows are in every case'raised to thesame inoperative position.

A heavy-coil spring-80 iseonne'cted'at its forward endto the-slotted plate 59 and at its rear end is provided with a threaded rod 81 and a handnut 82 by whit-hit is adjustably connected to a bracket 83 on the wheel frame. 'The action" of this spring is'to assist in' the-lifting of the plows.

' The operation and manner of handling the. the'following'descriptionz On entering the 1 field with the, plowsin their elevated position, as'shownin Fig. 3,'the operator hav-y 'ing determined the depth of cut by adjustingthe handlever 38,

.gravity less swing before com or to a lower position togive penetration,.the effect would The swing of 38 is adjusted backward to give the maximum depth I of The sw'i-n of being thus locked,

plow will be readily understood fronr I if'desired, and also, perhaps, the to an-inoperative position,

hand lever 12,- the plows are lowered by the operator pressing forward on-the foot leper 70, thus releasing the toggle lock and allowing the plows to descend under the action of and the land wheel to swing forward. As the plows .move forward they take into the ground point first by reason of the difference in length of the bails 51 and 52, finally taking the position shown in Figs-2, in case the hand levers had been set for deep plowing, As theplows are moving downward to this position the shaft 29 turns, causing the arm 33 and with it the locking bolt 7 6 to swing backward and downward until the bolt springs out into. the locking position beneath the bracket 79.

As the machine moves forward the plows are held down to their work by'the bolt 76. At the same time there is a certain flexibility in the action of the the land wheel is capable of rising more or lessagainst the tension of the spring 44, so as to pass over any inequality in the surmachine, because 7 faceof .the ground without materially affctingthe position of the plows. In turning at the corners, the furrow wheels are angled in the well known manner by the steerlng pole 16, the movement of which is transmitted to both of the axles 8 and 13.

When it is desired to lift the plows the operator presses forward on the foot lever 68, thus withdrawing the locking bolt 76 from engagement with the bracket 79 and atthe same time swinging'the pawl 61 into engagement with the ratchet wheel 60, so v too as to lock the land wheel against forward movement relative to the. radius; arm n on which said wheel. ismounted. The wjeel the draft of the tea-Inheoomes effective to'swing the wheel and radius'a'rm bodily downward and backward, thus rocking' the shaft 29 and swinging the shaft 58 upwardso as to lift the'plow beams an'd'bodiesyand'atjthe same time the swing of the radius arm acts-to raise the land side of the-wheel frame that the latter is horizontal when the furrow wheelsino've out of 't-he-furrowsontolevel ground. As tljije radius arm approaches a vertical position in its swinging'movement the-rearward extension of the 'foot'lever 68 comes into engagement with the stop 69, as 'indicatedin Figs. 6, 8 and 9, that'the further swinging movementresults in the turning'of t'heshaft 6.6, so as to withdraw the pawl 61 from engagement with the ratchet wiieeh This disengagement of the pawl" istimed to occurust .asthe toggle joint zit-173 passes the line of centers,

the plow's being thus locked in their elevated positions.

It will be understood that the device for locking the with either permanently-or temporarily,

simply moving the-bracket 79 tionsueh that it will not. be '1 gaged by the plows down may be dispensed that is, a posibolt 76. sary to elevate the plows when the machine In case it should become necesis not in motion, the hand lever 38 is, of

course, available for this purpose.

What I claim is:

1., In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a wheel frame, ground wheels comprising front and rear furrow wheels and a land wheel upon which said frame is supported, a plow movably con nected to theframe, a swinging radius arm -oar'ried by the wheel frame, the aforesaid land wheel being mounted on the free end of said arm, means for lifting the plow' relative to the wheel frame comprising a crank and a slotted plate carried by the plow and engaged by said crank, means for adjustably connecting the radius arm to the lifting means, and means fOr swinging the radius arm to a certain limiting position to effect the lifting of the plow, the slot in said plate being shaped so that the plow is, lifted by such swi mg of the radius arm to the same height re ative to the wheel frame ing mounted on the free end of said arm, a

rock shaft mounted on'said frame, adjust vable means adapted to connect the radius arm to the rock shaft in different angular positions, means for swinging the radius arm to a limiting upright position, and lifting devices interposed between the. rock shaft .and the plow, said devices acting when the-- radius arm. is swun as stated to raise the low to the same eight relative to the rame' irrespective of the adjustment of the connections between the radius arm and the rock shaft.

, 3. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of awheel frame, ground wheels comprising front andrear furrow wheels and a land wheel upon which said frame is, supported, a; plow movablycom, nected to the frame, a rock shaft mounted on said frame, a radius arm mounted to swin about the axis of the rock shaft and carrying at its free end the aforesaid land wheel, adjustable means for securing the "radius a'rm tothe rock shaft in difierent' angular positions in relation to said shaft,

60. lifting connections between the rock shaft and plow" compris' a crank' carried"- by the Shaft-'audllslotted plate carried b the 'flwand a -'b said crank,- and swingng'tg i'a us arm to a-"eertain limiting position to effect the lifting of the low, the slot in said plate being shaped so t at the plow is lifted by such swinging of the radius arm to the same height relative to the wheel frame irrespective of the adjustment of the securing meansfbetween the radius arm and the rock shaft.

4. The combination of a wheel frame, ground wheels upon. which said frame is supported comprising a furrow wheel and a land wheel, a plow movably, connected to the frame, means for lifting the plow mounted on the frame, a swinging radius arm supported by the frame, the aforesaid land wheel being mounted on the free end of said arm, means for adjustably connecting said arm to'the plow lifting devices, means carried'by the lifting devices and the frame for locking the plow down in operative position, and -means carried by the swinging arm and the frame, for automatically locking the plow in its raised or inoperative position when the arm isswung to alimiting upright position.

In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a wheel frame, ground wheels comprising front and rear furrow wheels and a land wheel upon which saidframe is supported, a. plow movably connectedto the frame, a swinging radius arm carried bythe wheel frame, the aforesaid land wheel being mounted bn the free end of said arm, meaus for lifting the plow relative to the wheel frame comprising a crank and a slotted cam plate carried by the plow and engaged by said crank, means for adjustably connecting the'i'a-diusarm to the lifting means, and means for locking the land wheel tothe radius arm to cause the swinging of the latter and the lifting of the I plow, the slot in the said plate being shaped so that the plow'is lifted to the same height relative to the wheel frame irrespective of the adjustment of the connection between the radius arm-and the lifting means;

6. In a mechanism of the class described,

' the oombination of a wheel frame, ground wheels comprising front and rear furrow wheels and' a land wheel upon which said .frame is supported, a plow mcvably con-. nected to the frame, a swinging radius arm wheel being mounted on the free end of said arm, a rock shaft mounted on said frame, adjustable means adapted to connect the radius arm td'the rock shaft in different angular positions, means for locking the land wheel to the radius arm to caus'eit to swing, and lifting devices interposed between the rock shaft and/the plow'ad'apted to raise the latter to the same height relative to the ween the radius arm ahd the suppqrted by the frame, the aforesaid land 7. In a mechanism of the class-set forth, the combination of a wheel frame, ground arm to cause the swinging of the latter and wheels comprising front and rear furrow wheels and a land wheel upon which said frame is supported, a plow movably connected to the frame, a rock shaft mounted on said frame, a radius arm mounted to swing about the axis of the rock shaft and carrying at its free end the aforesaid land wheel, adjustment means for securing the radius arm to the rock shaft in difi'erent an Fular positions in relation to said shaft, ifting connections between the rock shaft and the plow comprising a crank and a slotted plate carried by the plow and engaged by said crank, the slot in the plate being shaped so that the plow is lifted to the same height irrespective of the adjustment of the securing means between the radius arm and the rock shaft, and means for flocking the land wheel to the radius the lifting of the plow.

8. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a wheel frame, ound wheels supporting said frame, a pow, a

swinging radius armor crank upon which one of the ground wheels is mounted, ad-

justable connectinns between said arm and the plo'w' adapted when the arm is swungso to lift the plow, and means for automatically locking the plow in lifted position comprising a toggle linkage connected atone end to the swinging arm and at its other end to the wheel frame In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature;

in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. ELVIN.-

Witnesses: v

RoY E. Annnnsorr EUGENE I. TAYLOR.

torrections in Letters Patent No. 1,112,150.

it is hereby certified that-in Letters Patent No. 1,112,150, granted September 29, 191%, upon the application of Charles H. Melvin, of Moline, Illinois, for an improvement in Flows, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1'3, strike out line 3; same page, line 22, after the word radius insert v the words (LT/n to cause the swinging of the latter and, and that the said Letters Patent should he read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealedthis 10th day of November, A. D., 1914.

{sun} R, F. W 31 mm),

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

